AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

What is Hierarchy of Biology?

Individuals → Population → Community → Ecosystem

What is Abiotic Factors

non-living components of an ecosystem

What is Biotic Factors?

living components in an ecosystem

How does an Ecosystem maintain balance?

Negative Feedback Loops and Positive Feedback Loops.

What is a Positive Feedback Loops?

ouutput increases the response so the output increases and response is amplified

What is Negative Feedback Loops?

reverses the change, bringing things back to homeostasis

What is “The Commons”

a shared, limited resource

What is “The Tragedy”

resource becomes depleted bcause people act on self-interest for short term gain

—>usually no laws for overuse

What is a habitat

where something is

What is a niche

how an organism interacts with its environment; role of an organism

Predator-Prey interactions are an example of what feedback loop?

Negative Feedback Loop

What are the THREE types of symbiotic interactions?

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

• Parasitism

What is Mutualism

both species benefit

What is Commensalism

one species benefits, the other isn’t affected

What is Parasitism

one species benefits, the other is negatively impacted

What influences competitive interactions

Limiting Resource Factor - demand is greater than supply

What is Intraspecific Competition

Competition between shared resources within the same species

What is Interspecific Competition

when different species compete for the same limited resource

What is Competitive Exclusion Principle

two different species living in the same territory start to fall the same ecological niche

• will begin competing for the same resources

• resources are limiting so ONE will eventually win and the other will be displaced

Resource Partitioning

Every species has a unique niche in order to reduce competition with other species

What is a Keystone Species

A species where if it were to die off or be removed, the entire ecosystem will collapse

• ex. Grey wolf in Yellowstone

What is Ecosystem Engineer

species that make things that other animals use for shelter and resources

• ex. Beavers

What is an Indicator Species

a species sensitive to a certain environmental condition

• ex. coral

Describe the range of tolerance

Describe a Generalist

Broad Niche,wide range of tolerance, invasive, adaptive

-ex. racoons,rats,etc.

Describe a Specialist

small niche, narrow range or tolerance, indicator species, sensitive

• coral, frog,etc.

What is a sink

Stores more than it releases

What is a source

Releases more than it stores

What does a Watershed do?

determines how an area drains water and is determined by the topography

What are the steps of the Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Fixation → Ammonification →Nitrification → Assimilation

→Denitrification

Where are deserts usually located

At both 30° N and 30° S

What are the characteristics of a Tropical Rainforest

• High Precipitation

• Most Stable Temperature out of ALL the biomes

• Large Tropical Trees

• Highest Biodiversity of all the biomes

• Nutrient Poor Soil